Belle Vue Memories How Good Was Hyde Rd.?

[stratton]

I was looking back and these are three of my favourite ever speedway moments at the great Hyde Rd circuit how good were PC and Mort there?

 

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LxauiW5fb54

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkb3G7C4Qng

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=excw4fGxVbY

[The White Knight]

Hyde Road - the very best place I have ever watched Speedway. :approve:

 

If they model the new Track on the old Hyde Road Track, as they said they would - they won't go far wrong.

Edited September 12, 2014 by The White Knight

[Chadster]

Like all tracks there were good and bad meetings there, but when it was good, it was very good. I was actually at that Northern Riders meeting, my last ever visit to Hyde Road. Carter broke the track record in his first ride and then Morton came out in the next heat and absolutely obliterated Carter's time. It's safe to say the Belle Vue crowd, who I always felt were quite partisan, were delighted with that.

I recall a couple of great races between Nigel Boocock and Alan Wilkinson, a fantastic KO Cup match against Sheffield, with all 3 results still possible as the riders came off the last bend and those fantastic BLRC nights in the 60s, when the place was heaving.

I'm told the new track will be about 8 metres shorter than the old one, but hopefully it will generate the same happy memories.

[stratton]

Like all tracks there were good and bad meetings there, but when it was good, it was very good. I was actually at that Northern Riders meeting, my last ever visit to Hyde Road. Carter broke the track record in his first ride and then Morton came out in the next heat and absolutely obliterated Carter's time. It's safe to say the Belle Vue crowd, who I always felt were quite partisan, were delighted with that.

I recall a couple of great races between Nigel Boocock and Alan Wilkinson, a fantastic KO Cup match against Sheffield, with all 3 results still possible as the riders came off the last bend and those fantastic BLRC nights in the 60s, when the place was heaving.

I'm told the new track will be about 8 metres shorter than the old one, but hopefully it will generate the same happy memories.

It is funny really chadster, that two of my favourite ever riders Tommy Jansson and Michael Lee never really had great records at Hyde Rd.It was a difficult track to visit certainly if you were only riding it once or twice a year a real challenge i think for a rider.

[oldace]

It is funny really chadster, that two of my favourite ever riders Tommy Jansson and Michael Lee never really had great records at Hyde Rd.It was a difficult track to visit certainly if you were only riding it once or twice a year a real challenge i think for a rider.

Although on his day mike lee was no slouch round hyde road. But to answer your question sidney it was really a place like no other. Not just the racetrack but the whole stadium. The old wooden enclosed stands generated an atmoshphere that no where else could replicate.

 

It is true that not every match involved 13 classic races but rarely did you leave hyde road bored.

 

Also back in the day you then moved on ghe funfair or a few beers in the grounds.

 

No doubt it was a place of its time and half of its problem was that it failed to evolve, in fact from the mid seventies it had become s pitiful place to to, speedway aside.

 

I feel priveliged really to have watched most of my speedway there and its demise was really the start of my losing interest in the sport, although i lingered on fir nearly 20 more years

[The White Knight]

Although on his day mike lee was no slouch round hyde road. But to answer your question sidney it was really a place like no other. Not just the racetrack but the whole stadium. The old wooden enclosed stands generated an atmoshphere that no where else could replicate.

 

It is true that not every match involved 13 classic races but rarely did you leave hyde road bored.

 

Also back in the day you then moved on ghe funfair or a few beers in the grounds.

 

No doubt it was a place of its time and half of its problem was that it failed to evolve, in fact from the mid seventies it had become s pitiful place to to, speedway aside.

 

I feel priveliged really to have watched most of my speedway there and its demise was really the start of my losing interest in the sport, although i lingered on fir nearly 20 more years

Good Post.

 

I hope that you will give the new Track a visit when it is completed Oldace.

[oldace]

Good Post.

 

I hope that you will give the new Track a visit when it is completed Oldace.

If it happens you can bet your sweet ass i will. I doubt i would ever be a week in week out type fan again but who knows. Might even buy you a pint in there one day old timer.

[The White Knight]

If it happens you can bet your sweet ass i will. I doubt i would ever be a week in week out type fan again but who knows. Might even buy you a pint in there one day old timer.

That would be great. I do hope that we could meet up sometime - especially at Belle Vue.

[stratton]

Good Post.

 

I hope that you will give the new Track a visit when it is completed Oldace.

I also hope Oldace that you give the new stadium a go, a great club and the loyal fans deserve it.Who knows maybe they could get a GP round? was thinking if it was not for the Bradford disaster that B ........ Bamforth would not of been able to sell Hyde Rd.One of the saddest days in speedway for me the bulldozing of that place heartbreaking loads of people were lost to speedway because of that episode. Edited September 12, 2014 by sidney

[cityrebel]

Being a veteran of about 25 meetings at Hyde road (not bad for a Londoner!), I have seen some good and bad meetings there. The trips I enjoyed the most were those when the zoo and the funfair were in full swing. Towards the late 1980's the track was still fine, but the stadium with it's wooden stands we're starting to look a bit tired. No doubt my favourite track of all time, west ham's custom house would have looked the same had it survived as long. Two great venues that were monuments of the sport that will never be forgotten by me.

[oldace]

I also hope Oldace that you give the new stadium a go, a great club and the loyal fans deserve it.Who knows maybe they could get a GP round? was thinking if it was not for the Bradford disaster that B ........ Bamforth would not of been able to sell Hyde Rd.One of the saddest days in speedway for me the bulldozing of that place heartbreaking loads of people were lost to

speedway because of that episode.

For sure valley parade was a nail in the coffin of hyde road but its demise really began long before that. Aside from the odd tin of paint thf leisure invested nothing in either the stadium or grounds and by the time bamforth bought the stadium (which by then was the only thing left of belle vue) it really was a crumbling relic. For me the three things that cast a massive shadow over belle vue were the death of pc the first, the accident to wilkie in 1978 and the loss of hyde road

[customhouseregular]

As a Londoner my trips to Hyde Road were once a year from 1965-1970 for the BLRC. It was a great day out and I thoroughly enjoyed each meeting. The track was good for racing and the atmosphere was great.

[hellsgrannie]

My parents took me to Hyde Road at the tender age of 6 weeks in September 1952. They had done a lot of their courting at the speedway and it was a way of life for them. Every Saturday we went off to Belle Vue to take our place in our pre-booked seats, C block M row, seats 14 and 15 (they used to squash me in the middle or I sat on someones knee). My pram used to be parked outside the office and I once had my photo taken with Johnnie Hoskins in his office, the photo was then printed in the programme as I was the Aces youngest supporter.

Over the years I saw some fabulous races and all the top riders. My favourite rider was the Wizard of Balance, the great Peter Craven, and the atmosphere when there was a Golden Helmet match race on was electric. The stadium was always full, the noise from the crowd often drowning out the noise of the bikes.

As time went by, my parents stopped going to BV but I carried on going with my friends. The highlight of the year was always the BLRC, you had to get there very early to get a decent place, we always headed for the first bend. I must admit though that I did get a bit fed up of Briggo winning it every year!

As for meetings that stand out, I saw so many I really can't pick any. The racing wasn't always fantastic, but it was always on a superbly prepared track. I can still see Stan Ford chugging around on his tractor making sure everything was OK. The one meeting I do remember was the famous BV v Leicester which ended in a huge brawl on the pit bend. It wasn't speedway, but it was funny and is still talked about today.

I stopped going in 1975 when I got married and moved away. My husband had never been keen on speedway but went because I loved it. I still kept in touch through the Speedway Star but lost all contact when the children came along and life changed.

The girls knew I had been interested in speedway and one day the youngest one, Rachel, asked if could we go and watch it. It was 1999, so it was a long time since I had been and of course Hyde Road was long gone. It was a Test Match v Australia and we decided to watch it from the grassy knoll. I don't know what I was expecting, but to put it mildly, I was disappointed. No atmosphere, very little crowd noise and nobody seemed very interested. Even the riders didn't look like they wanted to be there. But Rachel loved it, my other daughter, Sarah, hated it and has never been to a meeting since.

Me and Rachel carried on going to Kirky Lane, but it was not speedway as I remembered it. Rachel was really into it though and even went on one of Ron Shaw's trips to a GP in Poland. She met her husband on that trip, he was the coach driver. A couple of years later they took their son Cameron to his first speedway meeting, he was 10 weeks old. We carried on going to the occasional meeting but gradually lost interest a couple of years ago and haven't been to the speedway since.

Me and my husband still go to Kirky Lane, but now it's to watch Stock Cars.

 

Sorry if this sounds like my life story, but as you can see, speedway has played a big part in our lives, and it all started at Hyde Road.

Edited September 14, 2014 by hellsgrannie

[The White Knight]

My parents took me to Hyde Road at the tender age of 6 weeks in September 1952. They had done a lot of their courting at the speedway and it was a way of life for them. Every Saturday we went off to Belle Vue to take our place in our pre-booked seats, C block M row, seats 14 and 15 (they used to squash me in the middle or I sat on someones knee). My pram used to be parked outside the office and I once had my photo taken with Johnnie Hoskins in his office, the photo was then printed in the programme as I was the Aces youngest supporter.

Over the years I saw some fabulous races and all the top riders. My favourite rider was the Wizard of Balance, the great Peter Craven, and the atmosphere when there was a Golden Helmet match race on was electric. The stadium was always full, the noise from the crowd often drowning out the noise of the bikes.

As time went by, my parents stopped going to BV but I carried on going with my friends. The highlight of the year was always the BLRC, you had to get there very early to get a decent place, we always headed for the first bend. I must admit though that I did get a bit fed up of Briggo winning it every year!

As for meetings that stand out, I saw so many I really can't pick any. The racing wasn't always fantastic, but it was always on a superbly prepared track. I can still see Stan Ford chugging around on his tractor making sure everything was OK. The one meeting I do remember was the famous BV v Leicester which ended in a huge brawl on the pit bend. It wasn't speedway, but it was funny and is still talked about today.

I stopped going in 1975 when I got married and moved away. My husband had never been keen on speedway but went because I loved it. I still kept in touch through the Speedway Star but lost all contact when the children came along and life changed.

The girls knew I had been interested in speedway and one day the youngest one, Rachel, asked if could we go and watch it. It was 1999, so it was a long time since I had been and of course Hyde Road was long gone. It was a Test Match v Australia and we decided to watch it from the grassy knoll. I don't know what I was expecting, but to put it mildly, I was disappointed. No atmosphere, very little crowd noise and nobody seemed very interested. Even the riders didn't look like they wanted to be there. But Rachel loved it, my other daughter, Sarah, hated it and has never been to a meeting since.

Me and Rachel carried on going to Kirky Lane, but it was not speedway as I remembered it. Rachel was really into it though and even went on one of Ron Shaw's trips to a GP in Poland. She met her husband on that trip, he was the coach driver. A couple of years later they took their son Cameron to his first speedway meeting, he was 10 weeks old. We carried on going to the occasional meeting but gradually lost interest a couple of years ago and haven't been to the speedway since.

Me and my husband still go to Kirky Lane, but now it's to watch Stock Cars.

 

Sorry if this sounds like my life story, but as you can see, speedway has played a big part in our lives, and it all started at Hyde Road.

Sad that your contact with the Sport has ended, as has mine. :sad:

 

You must visit the new Stadium when it is built - I know I will. :approve:

[stratton]

My parents took me to Hyde Road at the tender age of 6 weeks in September 1952. They had done a lot of their courting at the speedway and it was a way of life for them. Every Saturday we went off to Belle Vue to take our place in our pre-booked seats, C block M row, seats 14 and 15 (they used to squash me in the middle or I sat on someones knee). My pram used to be parked outside the office and I once had my photo taken with Johnnie Hoskins in his office, the photo was then printed in the programme as I was the Aces youngest supporter.

Over the years I saw some fabulous races and all the top riders. My favourite rider was the Wizard of Balance, the great Peter Craven, and the atmosphere when there was a Golden Helmet match race on was electric. The stadium was always full, the noise from the crowd often drowning out the noise of the bikes.

As time went by, my parents stopped going to BV but I carried on going with my friends. The highlight of the year was always the BLRC, you had to get there very early to get a decent place, we always headed for the first bend. I must admit though that I did get a bit fed up of Briggo winning it every year!

As for meetings that stand out, I saw so many I really can't pick any. The racing wasn't always fantastic, but it was always on a superbly prepared track. I can still see Stan Ford chugging around on his tractor making sure everything was OK. The one meeting I do remember was the famous BV v Leicester which ended in a huge brawl on the pit bend. It wasn't speedway, but it was funny and is still talked about today.

I stopped going in 1975 when I got married and moved away. My husband had never been keen on speedway but went because I loved it. I still kept in touch through the Speedway Star but lost all contact when the children came along and life changed.

The girls knew I had been interested in speedway and one day the youngest one, Rachel, asked if could we go and watch it. It was 1999, so it was a long time since I had been and of course Hyde Road was long gone. It was a Test Match v Australia and we decided to watch it from the grassy knoll. I don't know what I was expecting, but to put it mildly, I was disappointed. No atmosphere, very little crowd noise and nobody seemed very interested. Even the riders didn't look like they wanted to be there. But Rachel loved it, my other daughter, Sarah, hated it and has never been to a meeting since.

Me and Rachel carried on going to Kirky Lane, but it was not speedway as I remembered it. Rachel was really into it though and even went on one of Ron Shaw's trips to a GP in Poland. She met her husband on that trip, he was the coach driver. A couple of years later they took their son Cameron to his first speedway meeting, he was 10 weeks old. We carried on going to the occasional meeting but gradually lost interest a couple of years ago and haven't been to the speedway since.

Me and my husband still go to Kirky Lane, but now it's to watch Stock Cars.

 

Sorry if this sounds like my life story, but as you can see, speedway has played a big part in our lives, and it all started at Hyde Road.

Great post, i hope you visit the new stadium.!

[hellsgrannie]

Thanks for reading my post guys. I will definitely visit the new stadium IF I can bully my husband to go with me. I could have quite a job on my hands though, because he won't even watch speedway on TV let alone travel more than an hour to watch it.

I don't think any stadium could ever match Hyde Road, I guess I was spoiled!!

Edited September 14, 2014 by hellsgrannie

[customhouseregular]

Unless I am viewing the past through rose coloured glasses (quite possible), I seem to recall Hyde Road and the old Custom House stadium and track being similar, though the west Ham track lenghth was c.415 yards. I believe the Belle Vue track was slightly shorter.

[oldace]

Unless I am viewing the past through rose coloured glasses (quite possible), I seem to recall Hyde Road and the old Custom House stadium and track being similar, though the west Ham track lenghth was c.415 yards. I believe the Belle Vue track was slightly shorter.

 

Hyde Road 418 yards before its final ateration

[customhouseregular]

There we are then...I stand corrected on track size. If you ever visited Custom House Oldace you will be able to confirm or otherwise my thoughts on the two places being similar. Unless my memory is playing tricks West Ham was originally 440 yards before having the bends taken in.

[cityrebel]

I totally agree with you, custom house was the Hyde road of the south. The bends were taken in for jack young's benefit in the mid 1950's. My mum told me this, I was not born at the time!. My first visit to west ham was in May 1970.